Valve-movement for



W. D. HOOKER.

VALVE MOVEMENT FOR DIRECT ACTING ENGINES.

(No Model.)

Patented Sept. 14, 1 886.

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am 2 I UNTTED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

XVILLIAM DAVIS HOOKER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

VALVE-MOVEMENT FOR DIRECT-ACTING ENGlNES.

S PEGFFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,045, datedSeptember 14, 1886. Application filed January 18, 1886. Serial No.188,9lfi. (No model.)

' clear, and exact description'ofithe invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention relates to valve-movements for direct-acting engines.

The object of my invention is to connect and drive the auxiliary valveof a direct-acting engine direct from a peculiarly-shaped plate; and Iattain this object by the mechanism hereinafter set forth, and pointedout in the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate what I consider the best means forcarrying my invention into practice.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mechanism constituting my improvedvalvemovement, showing a section of the engine and pump heads. Fig. 2 isa plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the valve-movementmechanism, taken from the right-hand side of Figs. 1. and 2. Fig. 3 is adetail ofa centering and guiding piece for the drivingarm. Fig. 4 is amodification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures where they occur.

A is the lower head of the steamcylinder, and B is the upper head of thepump. The steam cylinder and pump are secured together by fourconnecting-rods, C. These rods 0 have shoulders near each end, and arefitted to holes in the steanrcylinder head A and secured by nuts outsideof the circumference of the steam-cylinder flanges. The lower ends ofthese rods are threaded and pass outside of the pump-cylinder head, andare secured in lugs cast on the outside of the pump. By means of theserods the steam and water cylinders are brought into true alignment andfastened securely together. This connection and accuracy of positionbetween the engine and pump, may, however, be obtained in various otherways, and I would not be understood as limiting myself to the means hereshown and described.

The steam-cylinder head A has flanges A on its sides, which are securelybolted to the frame L L of a steam fire-engine by suitable bolts, as in,thus securing the steam-pump rigidly to the frame L.

D is the piston-rod, which passes through stufling-boxes in the heads Aand ]3,and bears upon one end the steam-piston and upon the other thepump piston or plungerin the manner common to these engines. I have notdeemed it necessary to show either of these parts, as theirconstruction, location, and re spective functions are well understood.

To the piston-rod D, midway between the stuffing-boxes, I fasten the hubE. This hub has alug, G, projecting out from one side, to which isjournaled or pivoted the drivingarm F, which is provided with alongitudinal slot in its outer end to insure even, easy operation; but,as willbe seen presently, the slot may be omitted.

H is a' driving plate or casting, through which the arm F passesloosely. The partH is formed with angular sides or faces a a Z) I),disposed in the manner substantially as shown, whose purpose andfunction will be presently set forth.

Cast or forged with plateor part H is a shaft, O,whieh is journaled andrests in box g,which is fixed upon one of rods 0, or upon other suitablesupport. The opposite end of this shaft 0 is made separate, and has aflange, 0, on its end, and is secured to the open side of plate H bybolts, as shown. This end of shaft 0 is also journaled in a box, similarto and supported in a manner analogous to. the box 9 on opposite end ofshaft. This shaft 0 is made in two pieces to facilitate the manufacture;but it is obvious that it could be made in one piece,if so desired. Theparts of the shaft 0, before being put together, have holes drilled intheir centers,in which is inserted the pin (1, over which may or may notbe placed the piece 6 for centering and guiding the drivingarm F. Thepiece e or pin d lies in slot f in arm F, and the arm moves freely overit. By

this means the arm F is kept in the center of shaft 0 when running athigh rate of speed; but in most cases neither pin dnor piecec will berequired,and the arm F will work smoothly and effectively without theiraid.

An arm, K, projects from plate H, to which is connected the valve-rod ofthe engine,which latter is marked 1.

The projections or angular sides or faces a a b I) are placed or formedon plate II, above and below the oscillating shaft 0, so that thedriving-arm l will, when near the ends of its stroke, or when it comesin contact with them, fit them accurately on opposite sides, the sides aand a being struck at one end of the stroke and Z) and Z) at the other.

Modifications in many of the details may be made within wide limitswithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of myinvention.

As already stated the shaft 0 may be made in a single piece instead ofin two parts, as shown. Vhere any other form of connection is usedbetween the engine and the pump, supports of some sort must be providedfor the boxes y.

A modification of considerable importance is shown in Fig. 4, where thearm K is fastened to the shalt O, and the box would come between plate Hand arm K, as might be desirable in some constructions ofconnectingyokes for steam-pumps.

The valve of the engine in all the figures shown will be driven in thesame way the piston-rod is moving; but by reversing or fastening the armK, Fig. 4, the opposite way from that shown, the valve of the enginewill be driven the reverse of the engine; and as in steam-pumps both Band D valves are used, this feature is very desirable and important, asB and D valvcsmovein opposite directions to accomplish the same result.The pin (Z and piece 0 may be formed in onepiece or separate pieces, andpin (I may be used without the piece or projecting sides 0.

The operation is as follows: Supposing the piston-rod to be moving tothe right, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, when the engine arrivesat the point of reversal, the drivingarni F will come in contact withthe angular sides a a and the plate II and shaft 0, with attached arm K,will be caused to slightly oscillate, and as the valve-rod I is attachedto arm K, the valve will be very quickly and easily shifted. The enginenow commences its return-stroke, and the driving-arm1 for nearly theentire stroke slides loosely in plate H, and the plate II and shaft- 0remain stationary; but when the engine arrives at or near the point ofreversal, the driving-arm F will come in contact with the angular sidesI) b and the valve is shifted back, the engine again reversed, and itsoperation becomes continuous.

Many advantages, both in simplicity and cheapness of production, ease,and accuracy of operation and freedom from friction and wear accrue frommy construction, among which may be named, first, great durability, asthe shaft 0 will not oscillate over one-eighth of an inch on itscircumference of bearing at each reversal of stroke, thus making thisbearing nearly indestructible. The driving-arm also slides perfectlyfree through plate II during nearly the whole length of its stroke.Conse quently there will be no wear on this arm, except a very slightsliding movement when it comes in contact with the angular sides ofplate or part II; second, positiveness of ac tion, as the valve of theengine will always be moved at the exact point of reversal, therebycompelling the engine to measure its strokes; third, great simplicity,as there are but two moving parts in the entire valve-movementmechanism, and can be easily understood and repaired, if required, byany ordinary mechanic; fourth, economy in construction, as the entiredevice can be made at a very slight cost.

I am aware that an oscillating plate having angular sides or projectionsis broadly old, and also that a driving-arm oscillating on the center ofsuch a plate, and oscillating the plate when it is in contact with itsangular sides, is old, and I do not claim, broadly, such devices.

\Vhat I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. Thecombination, with an oscillating plate having angular sides orprojections, connccted directly to the valve-stem of the auxiliary valveof a direet-acting engine through the rock-shaft, which is rigidlyattached to the plate of the main piston of the engine, of means,substantially as described, for operating said plate'from said piston,as set forth.

2. The combination, with the plate or part H, constructed substantiallyas described, and the parts of shalt 0, made in. two pieces and boltedtogether, of connections, as described, to piston-rod and valve-rod.

3. A driving-arm fitted to and oscillating on a bearing on thepiston-rod and passing loosely through plate l], and adapted to slide onthe angular sides of said plate when it is in contact with said sides,in combination with said plate II, substantially as set forth.

4-. The combination, with the plate it and rock-shaft to which it issecured, of the driving-arm fitted to and oscillatingin bearing onpiston-rod of engine and having a slot, as described, and acentering-piece secured in and oscillating in its bearings in the centerof the rock-shaft, the-slotted arm sliding over said centering-piece,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILIJTAM DAVIS IIOOKE t.

\Vitnesses:

Urns. A. llIAGEE, G. D. GREENE, Jr.

ICC

